dance

FREE event! This is a day of Belly Dance Workshops, Shopping/Swap meet, Potluck, Dancing, drumming and an Evening Performance Show. Lots of talented instructors and dancers, both local and from surrounding cities. You won't want to miss this! Invite all of your friends and come have an amazing day full of camaraderie and community!

If you wish to partake of potluck goodies, please bring a dish to share.

40 North 88 West, the Champaign County Arts Council, has reinvented their annual fundraiser with 40 North UNTITLED, a one-of-a-kind, late-night event on February 19th at the Orpheum Theatre. Celebrating the arts of Champaign County and 40 North’s mission of cultivating creativity, this engaging and interactive evening will bring together art lovers, supporters, and the general public for a night of artful entertainment. As the sole 40 North fundraising event of the year, the proceeds from the night will benefit 40 North and its programs including the Boneyard Arts Festival, ACE Awards, the Eric Show, Friday Night Live, Sky Gallery, MTD ART, and more.

This late-evening event will feature complimentary cocktail bar and retro gourmet snacks and desserts by Michaels Catering. Customize your own t-shirt and tote screenprinted on site by Weiskamp Screen Printing, become an #arthero during your time inside the pop-up escape room byChampaign-Urbana Adventures in Time and Space, select orginal art by dozens of local artists, try your luck at the wine wall, dance the night away with DJ Mike Ingram, watch "lady-rage" unfold by CLAW: Champaign Ladies Amateur Wrestling, bid on unique auction items, and much more!

Tickets can be purchased at 40North.org, by contacting 40 North at 217-351-9841, or in person at 106 S. Neil St. Champaign IL 61821.

In advance: $45/person, $80/couple on or before 2/18At the door: $50/person on 2/19

The University YMCA and ISSS present
The 33rd Annual International Dinner & Performance Night

Enjoy an evening of great food and live performances in celebration of the diverse cultures that make up Champaign-Urbana.

Tickets are on sale now for only $15 for a sampling of food and performances from all over the world.

Purchase tickets at the front desk of the University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright Street, Champaign (checks payable to the University YMCA). Tickets sell out early and seats are limited; plan to purchase tickets as soon as possible.

At this event, you should expect to enjoy cuisines from over 20 countries and performances from members of the campus and community. Past International Dinner menus have included dishes from Vietnam, Hawaii, Korea, Brazil, Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Romania, Ghana, Peru, Russia, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Israel and several other countries. A finalized menu and performance program is To Be Announced. For more information and updates on the menu and performance schedule, visit: universityymca.org/global/dinner/

Central High School Drama presents: Chicago. Set in the 1920s where everyone wants a taste of fame (or infamy) Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, a woman who longs to be on the Vaudeville stage.
She plans to make it to the top--even if she has to lie and cheat to get there. After murdering her lover, she lands in the Cook County Jail with Velma Kelly and other Cell Block murderesses. With the help of the infamous lawyer Billy Flynn, she will do whatever it takes to gain her freedom and become the star she's always dreamed of being.

Come see why 'murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and exploitation..are so near and dear to our hearts' and help support Central Drama!

Central High School Drama presents: Chicago. Set in the 1920s where everyone wants a taste of fame (or infamy) Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, a woman who longs to be on the Vaudeville stage.
She plans to make it to the top--even if she has to lie and cheat to get there. After murdering her lover, she lands in the Cook County Jail with Velma Kelly and other Cell Block murderesses. With the help of the infamous lawyer Billy Flynn, she will do whatever it takes to gain her freedom and become the star she's always dreamed of being.

Come see why 'murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and exploitation..are so near and dear to our hearts' and help support Central Drama!

On September 24-27th eight of the most sought-after, renowned West African drummers and dancers will come to Urbana, Illinois to perform and teach workshops as part of the second annual Midwest Mandeng, a festival celebrating the arts and culture of West Africa.

The artists hail from Guinea and Mali in West Africa and will include Youssouf Koumbassa, Marietou Camara, Djeneba Sako, and local dance master Djibril Camara teaching dance. Drummers will include Bolokada Conde, Fode Bangoura, Moussa Traore, and Abass Camara. Each of these artists have impressive resumes with extensive experience as performers and choreographers and are sought after to participate in workshops all over the world. These artists are to West African drumming and dancing what Michael Jackson and Katy Perry are to pop music.

On Thursday, September 24th Djibril Camara and Bolokada Conde will lead special workshops geared towards absolute beginners at the Channing-Murray Foundation in Urbana. Drumming and dance workshops on Friday, September 25th through Sunday, September 27th will be all-level classes appropriate for beginners and advanced students alike. These classes will be held at the historic Urbana Landmark Hotel.

Other festivities will include a free demonstration geared towards children and their families at the Urbana Free Library on Friday, September 25th at 4:00 p.m. and a “dundunba” dance party featuring live drumming at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26th at Pizza M.

Last year the festivities attracted 127 attendees from as far away as Calgary, Canada and Santra Cruz, California. This year we are expecting even more visitors from near and far.

Visit www.cuwaddc.weebly.com for more information about the festival, including information about the schedule and rates for the workshops, our organization, and the artists.

Enjoy many performances from around the world in one afternoon…plus crafts for all ages! The Spurlock Museum invites you to WorldFest, Saturday, April 4, from 12:30 to 4:00 PM. The event, sponsored in part by the Illinois Arts Council, features performances of Brazilian guitar music by Renato Anesi, Middle Eastern Fusion music by the Wanees Zarour Ensemble, Indonesian dance by the Saman Dance Group, and storytelling by Kim Sheahan. The suggested donation is $5.00 per person. For an event schedule, visit www.spurlock.illinois.edu.

Join us on Friday, February 20th, for our Hap·pen·stance Winter celebration! Come enjoy a night of poetry, dance, music, and art! This evening's lineup includes:

Poetry and prose by John Dudek, Sara Fan, Roya Khatiblou, and Calgary Martin.
Dance performances by Hadley Smith, Lailye Weidman, and Jessie Young.
Music by After-party at Venanzio's and Markomaneis.

Hap·pen·stance is a community engagement program designed to bring visitors together at Figure One for seasonally resonant events such as dances, performances, live music, and more. Tickets sold in advance are $5 for students and $10 for the general public. Entry at the door is $10 students and $15 for the general public.